Would Legalizing Drugs Discourage Drug Trafficking?
Legalization of “soft” drugs such as marijuana has long been a fight in the United States. Some states have approved the use of Marijuana for medicinal purposes but it still does not seem to be enough. “Marijuana is the most widely abused and readily available illicit drug in the United States, with an estimated 11.5 million current users. At least one-third of the U.S. population has used marijuana sometimes in their lives.”(justice.gov) So with all of this marijuana coming into the U.S. some people argue that legalizing marijuana will discourage drug trafficking. The research will show that legalization of marijuana will not completely stop drug trafficking due to the fact that drugs like heroin, cocaine and ecstasy will still come in and out of our country illegally and the legalization of drugs such as those is not supported by hardly anyone. Additionally, legalizing drugs like heroin, cocaine, and ecstasy will do more harm than good due to all the risk and side effects involved in using those drugs. First the researcher will discuss some of these effects.
Then, in order to argue that legalization of drugs would not discourage drug trafficking, the researcher must then go over all the facts surrounding these drugs and the profit margin received from trafficking these drugs. “For one thing, if marijuana makes up 60 percent of the cartels’ profits, that still leaves another 40 percent, which includes the sale of methamphetamine, cocaine, and brown-powder and black-tar heroin. If marijuana were legalized, the cartels would still make huge profits from the sale of these other drugs.” (Longmire, S. 2011)
Judging from the information that the researcher has gathered so far, it seems conclusive that drug trafficking cannot be stopped but simply legalizing marijuana and the legalization of other drugs such as heroin and cocaine will do more harm than good. “But would legalization really work? With each day that passes, it looks like it wouldn 't be enough, for
Then, in order to argue that legalization of drugs would not discourage drug trafficking, the researcher must then go over all the facts surrounding these drugs and the profit margin received from trafficking these drugs. “For one thing, if marijuana makes up 60 percent of the cartels’ profits, that still leaves another 40 percent, which includes the sale of methamphetamine, cocaine, and brown-powder and black-tar heroin. If marijuana were legalized, the cartels would still make huge profits from the sale of these other drugs.” (Longmire, S. 2011)
Judging from the information that the researcher has gathered so far, it seems conclusive that drug trafficking cannot be stopped but simply legalizing marijuana and the legalization of other drugs such as heroin and cocaine will do more harm than good. “But would legalization really work? With each day that passes, it looks like it wouldn 't be enough, for
References: Drug Trafficking In The United States Retrieved from: http://www.justice.gov/dea/concern/drug_trafficking.html Legalization Won’t Kill Cartels, Longmire, S. (2011) Retrieved from: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/19/opinion/19longmire.html?_r=1 Legalizing Drugs Won 't Stop Mexico 's Brutal Cartels, Dickinson, E. (2011) Retrieved from: http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2011/06/22/legalizing_drugs_wont_stop_mexicos_brutal_cartels Legalizing Marijuana: An Exit Strategy From The War On Drugs, Amerigian, Z. Retrieved from : http://www.beckleyfoundation.org/2011/04/20/legalizing-marijuana-an-exit-strategy-from-the-war-on-drugs/